Final Goodbye
by Sweet Danish Yummy
Summary: What really happened when Ulquiorra went to retrieve Orihime. Speculative piece written just after chapter 237 was released.


**Title:** Final Goodbye  
**Characters:** Aizen, Gin, Orihime, Ulquiorra  
**Rating:** K  
**Warning:** Spoilers for up to chapter 237.  
**Summary:** What really happened when Ulquiorra went to retrieve Orihime. Speculative piece written just after chapter 237 was released.  
**Author's Note:** Inspired by a conversation with a friend, incandescens, with special thanks to Shini for helping me with the details.  
**Disclaimer:** I am not Kubo Tite, thus I do not own Bleach. I do not own these characters. I am only borrowing them for my own enjoyment.

* * *

They were only two at the moment. Two companions, two men, standing watching with matching amusement dancing around matching cold eyes. One smiled, a snake curling over sharp features, slitted eyes almost laughing at the sight before him. The other smirked in cold, detached observance, eyes that had once been kind, approachable, now drinking in every single moment of agony. 

"Really, the strength of her will is somehow both admirable and laughable."

"Ara, tha's true." The snake crawled higher up his cheeks, eyes too blue and rarely really seen sliding to glance at the other man before gazing upon the scene playing out before them. Their own personal movie, for their own glorious enjoyment, a scene of bitter, heart-wrenching pain. The ultimate sacrifice, selfless forfeiture of freedom that had been assumed to have been her own from the beginning. And all, simply, for their private delight.

"She's cryin'. Now ain't 'at kinda typical? 'M almos' disappoint'd."

"I know what you mean." Cool fingers stroked over his smooth chin, unperturbed by the coiling lock of auburn hair drifting over his forehead. "Honestly, from what we'd seen of her past performances, I would have assumed her to be much less given to such a show of weakness."

"She's trash." The bland voice to one side interrupted their viewing as both glanced at the blank and colorless Espada. "Trash cannot be expected to have any real value."

"Aw, 'at's a bit harsh thur, Ulquiorra-han." Gin's voice almost sang in his cheer. The Arrancar's appearance only made this experience all the sweeter, for the petulant little daddy's boy was sulking over all the attention laid on the human girl. Even if he tried to hide it, Gin could see it, plain in the dull cast of his eyes.

"She is an asset, Ulquiorra. Simply because her value is not plainly apparent does not decrease it." Aizen's voice was patient, and his gaze almost kind, if detached, as he turned from his most trusted Espada to the falsity in front of them.

Ulquiorra stayed to the side, lean arms crossed over his thin chest, eyeing the scene as the trash bent over the sleeping trash's form, tears raining down her cheeks to fall on his face. He felt filthy just watching, skin crawling at this blatant display of worthlessness. He couldn't understand why Aizen wanted this one so badly, why he sent Ulquiorra out to retrieve her. Why, once Ulquiorra had dragged her unconscious body back to Hueco Mundo (disliking even having to touch the horrendous thing for that long), Aizen had unsheathed his zanpakuto and released an almost painful amount of reiatsu.

Their leader's bankai was truly awe inspiring to feel set free. Unlike his shikai, his bankai was able to create illusions completely real to even those who'd never before been put under Kyouka Suigetsu's spell. The limitation, of course, being that his reiatsu could only sustain such a feat for a certain amount of time, which decreased with each subject ensnared in it's power. Such a thing would have been impractical to attempt to use on the whole of Soul Society, but for one girl…

…for twelve hours…

…it was a very simple task.

The three watched as Inoue Orihime, absolutely certain that she was standing on the windowsill of the Vaizored Kurosaki Ichigo's bedroom, gave him one last long, lingering look, before turning and hopping to the ground. She stepped toward the illusion of Ulquiorra, her back straight, her manner proud and determined. She was ready to face Hueco Mundo, ready to give up her own existence in order to save that of her friends.

"Well ain't she jus' a bundle o' surprises." Gin turned from the illusion, long sleeves swishing as he swung his arms and moved for another part of the room. There was an unabashed trace of pure glee in his tone, anticipation over the presence of another toy to play with. "Bit disappoint'd 'at 'er performance though. Woulda thought 'at she'd be doin' sumthin' bit more interestin' like, considerin' her bein' invisible an' all."

"She has morals." Aizen observed, standing still and watching the illusion continue to play out. His tone was speculative, assessing, though there was a chilling twist to the set of his lips. "Foolish. As we're well aware, morals can be used so easily against a person."

"Ain't 'at the truth o' things?" Gin chuckled, his eyes flashing over the demonic curve of his lips.

"Their presence will be to our advantage." The illusion faded as "Ulquiorra" put Inoue asleep, leaving the girl curled on the floor in the room, to wake up certain that everything that had transpired had actually occurred. Certain that this man that had taken her hostage had granted her the kindness to put her affairs in order, to say good bye to the single most important person in her life.

It will be a small thing, but it will be yet one more circumstance that Aizen can use to his advantage. Use to keep the girl under this thumb, in his control, and at his mercy.


End file.
